New Delhi: The Congress and other INDIA bloc parties have become patrons of corrupts and rapists in the states ruled by them, the BJP said on Friday, launching a fresh attack against the backdrop of alleged scams in Karnataka and rape-and-murder case of a medic in West Bengal.
Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters here, party national spokesperson Prem Shukla slammed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over her "fire will spread" remarks and said that it is clearly visible that the "tukde-tukde gang" has penetrated deep into the INDIA bloc of the opposition parties.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav had earlier issued a threat to set the country on fire, he said.
"The Congress and I.N.D.I.A. bloc governments have become masters of those who indulge in corruption, immoral acts and rape. Mamata Banerjee threatened common people and students in Bengal. She said this fire will reach Delhi travelling through Odisha, Assam and North East," Shukla said.
He alleged that the I.N.D.I.A. bloc intends to burn the country.
"Rahul Gandhi has already threatened to set the country on fire. Before Lok Sabha elections, Akhilesh Yadav had also threatened to set the country on fire… "These INDI alliance leaders are repeatedly talking setting the country on fire to save corrupts and rapists. This clearly shows that the 'tukde-tukde' gang has penetrated deep into them," he added.
Raising the issue of corruption, the BJP spokesperson alleged "scam" in allocation of a five-acre land to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's family in Karnataka and demanded a CBI probe into the matter.
"The Karnataka government's social welfare department had asked for this land for a social welfare project but it was given to Mallikarjun Kharge. The land was allocated without an e-auction. The government would have earned revenue of Rs 15-20 crore if the land was allocated through an e-auction," he claimed.
"The Karnataka government does not have money to pay the salary of transport department employees but it has Rs 15-20 crore to shower on the Congress president," he said and demanded a CBI probe into the matter.
Shukla also took swipes at the Congress over Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu citing "grim financial situation" in the state and said wherever the party comes to power it brings misery along with it.
Sukhu had announced on Thursday that he, his ministers, chief parliamentary secretaries and chairpersons and vice-chairpersons of boards and corporations would defer drawing their salaries and allowances for two months, citing the state's "grim financial situation".
The chief minister made the announcement in the assembly and also urged other members of the House to follow suit.
"Among the nine hill states, Himachal Pradesh is worst affected by economic distress. Wherever the Congress goes, it brings misery along with it.
"Rahul Gandhi used to say that money will be swiftly credited to people's accounts. Money did not come swiftly, though the bankruptcy came in quickly,” Shukla said.
The BJP leader also condemned Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy's remarks on grant of bail to BRS leader K Kavitha by the Supreme court in cases linked to alleged Delhi excise policy scam and demanded that the Congress apologise to "all constitutional bodies" for insulting them.
In an interaction with mediapersons, Reddy had on Tuesday said there are doubts over MLC Kavitha getting bail in five months when Manish Sisodia got it after 15 months and Kejriwal is yet to get it.
"It is a fact that BRS worked for the victory of the BJP in the 2024 LS polls . There is also talk that Kavitha got bail because of the deal between BRS and BJP," he had alleged.
The Supreme Court on Thursday took strong objection to Telangana chief minister's comments and said such statements might create apprehensions in the minds of people.